Furniture support assembly



Jan. 28, 1969 E. L. HAMPTON 3,424,423

FURNITURE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 6, 1966 I INVENTOR.

fix BY ATTORN Y5 United States Patent 3,424,423 FURNITURE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY Edward L. Hampton, Louisville, Ky., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Lear Siegler, Inc., Santa Monica, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 584,789 US. Cl. 248-415 Int. Cl. A47c 3/18 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Furniture support assemblies of the type to which the instant invention pertains are frequently utilized to support chairs, tables, and the like. A swivel assembly is utilized to support the piece of furniture so that the piece of furniture may rotate about an axis relative to the support assembly. Heretofore in such assemblies it has been necessary to utilize various unsatisfactory means for interconnecting the swivel assembly and the base. This is because the structure of the swivel assembly heretofore required a pair of tie rods disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation to interconnect the base with the swivel assembly. The swivel assembly employs an upper plate for securement to the piece of furniture and a lower plate which is connected to the upper plate so that the upper plate may rotate relative thereto about an axis, and therefore it has heretofore been necessary to utilize a pair of tie rods which are attached to the lower swivel plate in spaced relationship to the axis of rotation. The use of two tie rods has been necessary since a single tie rod or other means cannot be attached to the lower swivel plate coaxially with the axis of rotation between the upper and lower swivel plates because of the means which rotatably interconnects the two swivel plates.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide a furniture support assembly employing components associated together in novel structural interrelationships, thereby providing a furniture support assembly which is easier and more economical to manufacture.

Another object and feature of this invention is to provide a furniture support assembly including a base with a hollow member disposed on the base, a swivel assembly including an upper swivel plate and a lower swivel plate rotatably connected together for relative rotation about an axis, an adapter plate connected to the lower swivel plate and disposed on top of the hollow member, and one single tie rod interconnecting the base and the adapter plate by being connected to the adapter plate coaxially with the axis of rotation between the upper and lower swivel plates.

In general, these and other objects and features of this invention may be attained in a furniture support assembly including a base portion having a plurality of legs with a hollow member disposed on the base. There is also included a swivel assembly comprising an upper swivel plate and a lower swivel plate, the swivel plates being operatively connected together for relative rotation about an axis. An adapter plate is secured to the lower swivel plate and is disposed on top of the hollow tubular member. The adapter plate has a central portion which is disposed in spaced relationship to the means rotatably inter- 3,424,423 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 ice connecting the swivel plates and has a threaded bore in the central portion coaxial with the axis of rotation. A single tie rod is operatively connected to the base and extends upwardly through the hollow member and threadedly engages the bore in the central portion of the adapter plate. The space between the central portion of the adapter plate and the means rotatably interconnecting the upper and lower swivel plates allows the single tie rod to extend through the adapter plate. The tie rod urges the adapter plate toward the base so that the hollow tubular member is clampingly held between the adapter plate and the base.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the furniture support assembly of the instant invention shown supporting a chair;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the instant invention illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the adapter means utilized in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a furniture support assembly is generally shown at 10.

The furniture support assembly 10 includes a base means, generally indicated at 12, and a hollow member 14 extending from the base means 12. There is also included a swivel means, generally shown at 16, which is disposed on the hollow member 14 for supporting a piece of furniture, such as the chair 18, for rotation about an axis 20. The support assembly also includes adapter means comprising the adapter plate 22 which is secured to the swivel means 16. There is also included tying means comprising the tie rod 24 for securing the base means 12, the hollow member 14, and the swivel means 16 together. The tie rod 24 is connected to the adapter plate 22 at a position coaxial with the axis 20; that is, the longitudinal axis of the tie rod 24 is coaxial with the axis of rotation 20. The tie rod 24 is disposed within the hollow member 14, the hollow member 14 preferably being tubular as best illustrated in FIGURE 1. The swivel means 16 includes an upper swivel plate 26 and a lower swivel plate 28. The ball bearings 27 are disposed between the swivel plates 26 and 28 to facilitate relative rotation therebetween about the axis 20. Means comprising the rivet 30- interconnects the swivel plates 26 and 28 for allowing the upper swivel plate 26 to rotate relative to the lower swivel. plate 28 about the axis 20.

The adapter plate 22 is secured to the lower swivel plate 28 by the bolts 32. It will be understood that rivets or other appropriate means may be used in place of the bolts 32.

The adapter means comprising the adapter plate 22 has a central portion 34 with a threaded bore 36 extending therethrough. The tie rod 24 is connected to the adapter plate 22 by threadedly engaging the threaded bore 36. The central portion 34 of the adapter plate is disposed in spaced relationship with the central portion 38 of the lower swivel plate 28, thereby allowing the tie rod 24 to extend through the adapter plate 22 without contacting the rivet 30 which rotatably interconnects the swivel plates 26 and 28.

The adapter plate 22 is disposed atop the hollow member 14 for supporting the swivel plates 28 and 26. The upper swivel plate 26 is adapted to be attached to the bottom of a piece of furniture such as the chair 18. It

will be noted that the bolts 32, which form fastening means to interconnect the adapter plate 22 and the lower swivel plate 28, project downwardly from the adapter plate 22 and the hollow member 14 is disposed in engagement with the adapter plate 22 between the heads of the bolts 32 and the central portion 34 of the adapter plate. This prevents relative lateral movement between the adapter plate and the hollow member 14.

The base means 12 includes a middle section 40 with a plurality of legs 42 extending therefrom. The middle section 40 has a hole 44 extending therethrough and a member 46 is disposed across the hole 44 and engages the middle section 40. The tie rod 24 extends through the member 46 and has a head 48 to urge the member 46 into engagement with the middle section 40 so that the tie rod 24 urges the adapter plate 22 and the base means 12 together to apply compressive forces to the hollow member 14. In other words, the hollow member 14 is clampingly retained between the base 12 and the adapter plate 22 by the tie rod 24. It will be noted that the hollow member 14 is prevented from moving laterally relative to the base member 12 because it is disposed in a recess 50 in the top of the base member 12.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A furniture support assembly comprising: base means; a hollow member having first and second ends with said second end disposed on said base means; swivel means for supporting a piece of furniture for rotation about an axis; said swivel means including an upper swivel plate adapted to be attached to a piece of furniture, a lower swivel plate, and means interconnecting said swivel plates for allowing said upper swivel plate to rotate relative to said lower swivel plate; an adapter plate disposed across and including flanges engaging and extending laterally from said first end of said hollow member; said adapter plate having at least one downwardly extending portion engaging said hollow member to limit lateral movement thereof; means connecting said adapter plate to said lower swivel plate laterally outward from said first end of said hollow member; and tying means interconnecting said base means and said adapter plate;

said tying means being disposed within said hollow member.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably interconnecting said swivel members and said tying means are disposed on said axis.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said tying means comprises a single tie rod disposed within said hollow member.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said downwardly extending portion of said adapter plate is the central portion thereof, said central portion having a threaded bore therein, said tie rod being connected to said adapter plate by threadedly engaging said threaded bore, said central portion of said adapter plate being in spaced relationship with said lower swivel plate to allow said tie rod to extend through said adapter plate without contacting said means which interconnects said swivel plates.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said adapter plate is secured to said lower swivel plate by fastening means which project from said adapter plate, said hollow member being disposed in engagement with said adapter plate between said fastening means and said central portion of said adapter plate.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said base means includes a middle section with a plurality of legs extending therefrom, said middle section having a hole therethrough, and a member disposed across said hole and engaging said middle section, said tie rod extending through said member and urging said member into engagement with said middle section so that said tie rod urges said adapter plate and said base means together to apply compressive forces to said hollow member.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 including a seat means attached to and supported by said upper swivel plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,226,209 12/1940 Rizzuto 108139 XR 2,529,780 11/1950 Miller 248-415 XR 2,710,644 6/1955 Krueger 108139 2,779,642 1/ 1957 Matthews 248349 XR 3,153,524 10/1964 Greenfield et al. 248-188.7 XR 3,207,462 9/1965 Zimmerman 248188.7 XR 3,236,485 2/1966 Staples 248188.7 XR

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 248188.7 

